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Originally Posted by Charlatan
I'd say it also a little harder to be an atheist because your are on your own. Those who choose religion (regardless of which) have a road map and, if they attend services, continual guidance in the form of some sort of spiritual leader.
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I think it depends on what you choose to focus on. Certainly it
could be easier to have a map. However, sometimes that map is completely missing large pieces or takes you places that really suck.
On the other hand, being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean that one doesn't have a map. After all, buddhism is atheistic(correct me if i'm wrong, it's been a while), yet is incredibly prescriptive.
Also, depending on the particular brand of theism in question, there isn't necessarily a map.
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Being an atheist means doing the right thing because it is the right thing, not just because a book or a spiritual leader tells you you will be eternally punished if you don't.
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Believe it or not, theism can also mean doing the right thing because it is the right thing. Not all theists believe in hell- for them heaven is assured. Without the threat of damnation, one can defer to whatever one wants when deciding what the right thing is.